Cathedral of St Mary and St Anne

The Cathedral of Saint Mary and Saint Anne (Irish: Ardeaglais Naomh Muire agus Naomh Áine), also known as Saint Mary's Cathedral, The North Cathedral or The North Chapel, is a Roman Catholic cathedral located at the top of Shandon Street in Cork, Ireland. It is the seat of the Bishop of Cork and Ross, and the mother church of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Cork and Ross. Its name derived from the fact that it encompassed the ecclesiastical parish of St. Mary and the civil parish of St. Anne.[2]

"North Cathedral" redirects here. For the former cathedral in Beijing, see Church of the Saviour, Beijing.

Cathedral of St Mary and St Anne
North Cathedral / North Chapel
Ardeaglais Naomh Muire agus Naomh Áine
Cathedral of St Mary and St Anne
51°54′17″N 8°28′34″W
Location	Cork, County Cork
Country	Ireland
Denomination	Roman Catholic
Website	http://www.corkcathedral.ie/
History
Status	In Use
Consecrated	22 August 1808
Administration
Parish	Cathedral
Archdiocese	Cashel and Emly
Diocese	Cork and Ross
Clergy
Bishop(s)	Fintan Gavin[1]
Dean	Dean Noel O’Sullivan
Canon(s)	Very Rev John Canon O'Donovan
Laity
Organist(s)	Joe Higgins
Music group(s)	Anne Roche (choir director)

History

The cathedral is both the seat of the Bishop of Cork and Ross, and the parish church for the Cathedral parish which includes the areas of Blarney Street, Shandon and Blackpool. Baptismal records date back to 1731.[3] The parish boundary had also included the areas of Blackpool, Sunday's Well, Shanakiel, Clogheen, Kerry Pike and Curraghkippane until 1981. (Both chapels of ease to the Cathedral, The Church of the Most Precious Blood, became the parish church of Clogheen/Kerry Pike & The Church of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary became the parish church of Blackpool).[4]

The cathedral was built during the tenure of Bishop Francis Moylan. Construction began in 1799 on the site of a former church built in the 1730s. The cathedral was dedicated on 22 August 1808 by Archbishop Thomas Bray of Cashel. In his sermon, coadjutor bishop Florence McCarthy D.D. spoke of the "necessity of social worship, arguing the point from reason, scripture, and tradition."[2] McCarthy died of typhoid in 1810, contracted while visiting a sick parishioner.[2]

The building was extensively damaged by an act of arson in 1820. George Richard Pain undertook the restoration of the cathedral, enlarging the sanctuary and creating a Chancel Arch.[5] The cathedral re-opened in 1828.[6]

In 1964, the sanctuary was extended, a sanctuary tower added, and the internal layout reorganised. These works were completed in 1968.[6] The architects employed were Boyd Barrett and Associates.[7]

The most recent large-scale works were completed at the cathedral between 1994 and 1996.[8] The tower and sanctuary were renovated and refurbished, and the high altar, altar rails and side altars were removed. The roof was re-slated and the gothic ceiling was repaired. External stonework of the cathedral was also repointed.[6] The cathedral closed for the duration of the works. It was re-dedicated by Bishop Michael Murphy on 29 September 1996 (shortly before his death in October 1996).[9]

The cathedral celebrated its bicentenary in September 2008.[10]

In 2017 a visitor centre was established underneath the sanctuary of the cathedral, with tours of the Cork Folklore Project's exhibition and work.[11]

Architecture

Designed in early Neo-Gothic Revivalist style, the building combines sandstone with limestone dressings. The tower over the main door was added in 1869, designed by John Benson.[7]

The original altar was fashioned in wood by Italian craftsmen in Lisbon.[2] In 1821, John Hogan carved twenty-seven statues in wood for the reredos behind the high altar.[12]

The bells were cast in 1870 by John Murphy of Dublin, and were originally hung for change-ringing, however they are now considered 'unringable'.[13]

The modern sanctuary of 1996 was designed by architect Richard Hurley, and is finished in white limestone.[14]

References

1. "Bishop Elect Fr. Fintan Gavin – Announcement". corkandross.org. Diocese of Cork and Ross. 10 April 2019. Retrieved 5 May 2019.
2. O'Callaghan, Antoin (2016). Churches of Cork City. The History Press. ISBN 9780750968645.
3. "Cork Heritage Open Day - Cathedral of St. Mary & St. Anne". corkheritageopenday.ie. Cork City Council. Retrieved 10 May 2019.
4. Blackpool Parish
5. "Cathedral Of St Mary & St Anne". DiscoverIreland.ie. Fáilte Ireland. Retrieved 25 October 2018.
6. "Historic buildings in the Shandon area - North Cathedral". Cork Past and Present. Cork City Libraries. Retrieved 25 October 2018.
7. "Cathedral of St Mary and St Anne, Cathedral Street, Blackpool, Cork City". buildingsofireland.ie. National Inventory of Architectural Heritage. Retrieved 10 May 2019.
8. "History of the Diocese". corkandross.org. Diocese of Cork and Ross. Retrieved 25 October 2018. A complete renovation of the historic Cathedral was initiated in 1994 [..] The work, including a reordering of the interior, was completed in 1996 at a cost of 3.25m euro
9. "Most Rev. Michael Murphy". corkandross.org. Diocese of Cork and Ross. Retrieved 5 May 2019. it was to be the bishop's last public ministry when he presided over the re-dedication of the Cathedral on Sept 26th, 1996 - just over a week before he died
10. "Lord Mayor Launched Exhibition at Cork City and County Archives to Mark the Bicentenary of the North Cathedral". corkarchives.ie. Cork City and County Archives. 2008. Retrieved 10 May 2019.
11. "Historic and Architectural Tours". heritageweek.ie. National Heritage Week. Archived from the original on 24 January 2019. Retrieved 24 January 2019. In 2017 a [North Cathedral] Visitor Centre was established with a Cafe, gift-shop and research hub for the Cork Folklore Project now on site
12. "Cathedral Parish, Cork, Ireland", Cathedral of St Mary and St Anne
13. "Dove Details". dove.cccbr.org.uk. Retrieved 2019-02-08.
14. "Portfolio - St. Mary's and St Anne's Cathedral, Cork". rha.ie. Richard Hurley & Associates Architects. Retrieved 5 May 2019.

External links

• Corkcathedral.ie - Cathedral of St Mary and St Anne homepage